Customers visit a dessert shop on Taksim Square, a pedestrian shopping mall in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 22, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
ISTANBUL, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season.
The Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and the country's financial and cultural hub Istanbul were the top destinations in October, hosting 1.6 million and 1.2 million tourists respectively, the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry announced on Monday.
With its long beaches and luxurious tourism facilities, Antalya is known for its sea-sand-sun tourism.
Meanwhile, Istanbul fascinates foreign travelers for its Byzantine and Ottoman-era landmarks, like bazaars, mansions, and palaces, and hosts the Bosphorus Strait, which divides the European and Asian continents.
The number of foreign travelers visiting the country in the first ten months of this year surged to 21 million, with a 88 percent increase from the same period last year, the data revealed.
Turkey received a total of 11.2 million tourists in 2020 when the COVID-19 related measures, such as lockdowns and closure of restaurants, were implemented.
The expectation for attracting foreign tourists in 2022 would be much higher than this year, and the country's tourism agencies launched an early booking campaign "at attractive and affordable prices" for the upcoming season, which will start in May, the tourism representatives said.
After receiving 45 million tourists in 2019 and generating a total of 34.5 billion dollars in revenue, Turkey suffered losses of over 65 percent in 2020 due to the pandemic. Enditem
People visit the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 14, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
A passenger ship is seen sailing in the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 21, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
A passenger ship is seen sailing in the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 21, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
A passenger ship is seen sailing in the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 14, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
A customer orders cakes at a snack shop on Taksim Square pedestrian street in Istanbul, Turkey, Nov. 22, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
A confectioner works at a snack shop on Taksim Square in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 22, 2021. Turkey in October lured nearly 3.5 million foreign tourists, which is almost double the number of last October, raising hopes for the upcoming traveling season. (Xinhua/Sadat)
